Cooling apparatus of the general class to which the invention relates is used to cool material (e.g., cement clinker or other mineral materials), which has been burnt in a kiln. Such apparatus can comprise traveling grate coolers, thrust grate coolers, and the like. The red hot material discharged from the kiln outlet should undergo a first drastic cooling in the material inlet part of the cooling apparatus and should then be led, distributed as well as possible, to the grate on which the main cooling is then carried out while the material to be cooled is transported along a path extending through the cooler. At least the cooling air which is blown through the hot material in the material inlet part of the cooling apparatus should be reused or used further generally as air for combustion in the preceding kiln.
Cooling apparatus of the aforesaid type is known for example from German Auslegeschrift No. 11 08 606. In this case the material transfer stage in the material inlet part is constructed in the form of a brick chute which is adapted to the material angle of repose or slope and has a movable member arranged in its material conveying surface at right angles to the direction of flow of the hot material. In this known construction one must reckon in particular with corresponding construction costs for the transfer means and functioning of the movable member, considerable abrasion of the surface of the chute which is in contact with the material sliding downwards, and a mushroom-like buildup (growth) of hot material on the surface of the chute.
A principal object of the invention is to provide cooling apparatus of the general type referred to and in which, in particular, the material inlet part has material transfer stage which is improved over the prior art and is distinguished by particularly good heat recovery, material distribution, and extensive avoidance of the aforementioned mushroom formation. It is also desirable to prevent "red rivers" in the material running downwards ("red rivers" generally are understood to mean red hot, uncooled streams of material, e.g., streams of clinker).